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Aelia Flacilla – Wife of Roman Emperor Theodosius I and
mother of Emperors
Honorius and Arcadius.
Bronze AE4 13mm (0.88 grams) Heraclea mint: 383 A.D.
Reference: RIC 17.2 (IX, Heraclea)
AELFLACCILLAAVG – Diademed, draped bust bust right.
SALVSREIPVBLICAE Exe: SMHB – Victory seated right, inscribing Christogram on
shield
set on cippus.
You are bidding on the exact item pictured,
provided with a Certificate of Authenticity and Lifetime Guarantee of
Authenticity.
In
ancient Roman religion
, Victoria or Victory
was the
personified
goddess of victory. She is the
Roman equivalent
of the
Greek goddess
Nike
, and was associated with
Bellona
. She was adapted from the
Sabine
agricultural goddess
Vacuna
and had a
temple
on the
Palatine Hill
. The goddess
Vica Pota
was also sometimes identified with
Victoria.
Unlike the Greek
Nike
, the goddess Victoria (Latin
for “victory”) was a major part of Roman society. Multiple temples were erected
in her honor. When her statue was removed in 382 CE by Emperor
Gratianus
there was much anger in Rome. She was
normally worshiped by
triumphant
generals returning from war.
Also unlike the Greek Nike, who was known for success in athletic games such
as
chariot races
, Victoria was a symbol of victory
over death and determined who would be successful during war.
Victoria appears widely on Roman coins, jewelry, architecture, and other
arts. She is often seen with or in a
chariot
, as in the late 18th-century sculpture
representing Victory in a
quadriga
on the
Brandenburg Gate
in
Berlin
, Germany; “Il Vittoriano”
in Rome has two.
Winged figures, very often in pairs, representing victory and referred to as
“victories”, were common in Roman official iconography, typically hovering high
in a composition, and often filling spaces in
spandrels
or other gaps in architecture. These
represent the spirit of victory rather than the goddess herself. They continued
to appear after Christianization of the Empire, and slowly mutated into
Christian angels
.
The Chi Rho is one of the earliest
christograms
used by Christians. It is formed by superimposing the
first two letters in the Greek spelling of the word
Christ
(
Greek
: “Χριστός” ), chi = ch and rho = r, in such a way to produce
the monogram
☧. The Chi-Rho symbol was also used by pagan Greek scribes to
mark, in the margin, a particularly valuable or relevant passage; the
combined
letters Chi and Rho standing for chrēston, meaning “good.” Although not technically a cross, the Chi Rho invokes the crucifixion
of Jesus as well as symbolizing his status as the Christ. There is early
evidence of the Chi Rho symbol on Christian Rings of the third century.
Aelia Flavia Flaccilla (died 385), first wife
of the
Roman
Emperor
Theodosius I
. She was of
Hispanian
Roman descent.
During her marriage to Theodosius, she gave birth to two sons — future Emperors
Arcadius
and
Honorius
— and a daughter,
Aelia Pulcheria
. She was given the title of
Augusta
, as her coinage shows.
Family
According to Laus Serenae (“In Praise of Serena”), a poem by
Claudian
,
both
Serena
and Flaccilla were from
Hispania
.
A passage of
Themistius
(Oratio XVI, De Saturnino) has been interpreted as identifying Flavius
Claudius Antonius,
Praetorian prefect of Gaul
from 376 to 377 and
Roman consul
in 382, to be her father. However the relation is considered
doubtful.
In 1967, John Robert Martindale, later one of several article writers in the
Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire
, suggested that the passage actually
identifies Antonius as the brother-in-law of Theodosius. However the passage is
vague enough to allow
Flavius Afranius Syagrius
, co-consul of Antonius in 382, to be the
brother-in-law in question.
The only kin clearly identified in primary sources was her nephew Nebridius,
son of an unnamed sister. He married Salvina, a daughter of
Gildo
. Their
marriage was mentioned by Jerome in his correspondence with Salvina. They had a
son and a daughter.
Marriage
In about 375-376, Flaccilla married
Theodosius I
, a son of
Count Theodosius
. At the time Theodosius had fallen out of favor with
Valentinian I
and had withdrawn to civilian life in
Cauca
,
Gallaecia
.
Their first son
Arcadius
was born prior to the elevation of his parents on the throne. Their secold son
Honorius
was born on 9 September 384. Their daughter
Pulcheria
has been suggested to have been born prior to the elevation of her
parents to the throne due to another passage of Laus Serenae. She
predeceased her parents as mentioned in the writings of
Gregory of Nyssa
.
A younger Gratian .mentioned alongside the imperial children by
Ambrose
. has
at times been suggested as a third son. However, Gregory of Nyssa reports the
existence of only three imperial children and other sources do not mention
Gratian. Gratian was possibly a relation of some sort but not an actual member
of the
Theodosian dynasty
.
Empress
Valens
,
emperor of the
Eastern Roman Empire
was killed in the
Battle of Adrianople
(9 August 378). He was survived by his wife
Albia Dominica
and his daughters Anastasia and Carosa. He had however
survived his only son, Valentinianus Galates. His nephew
Gratian
,
Emperor of the
Western Roman Empire
, was his heir and assumed control of the Eastern Empire
as well. With his younger half-brother
Valentinian II
as his nominal co-ruler.
On 19 January, Gratian declared Theodosius,
magister militum
per
Illyricum
, to be his new colleague in the Eastern Roman Empire. Theodosius
seems to have been the senior officer of Roman origins available for promotion
at the time.
Merobaudes
and
Frigeridus
,
the two magistri militum in praesenti were probably not considered due to their
Germanic
origins. Several other equivalent positions remained vacant since
the deaths of their last holders in Adrianople. At this point Flacilla became the Empress consort.
She was a fervent supporter of the
Nicene
Creed
. Sozomen
reports her preventing a conference between Theodosius and
Eunomius of Cyzicus
who served as figurehead of
Anomoeanism
, a distinct
sect of
Arians
.
Ambrose and Gregory of Nyssa praise her Christian virtue and comment on her role
as “a leader of justice” and “pillar of the Church”.
Theodoret
reports on her works of
charity
, personally tending to the
disabled
.
He quotes her saying that “To distribute money belongs to the imperial dignity,
but I offer up for the imperial dignity itself personal service to the Giver.”
She died in 385 (or 386). Her death is mentioned by (among others)
Claudian
,
Zosimus
,
Philostorgius
and
Joannes Zonaras
. According to the
Chronicon Paschale
, the palatium Flaccillianum of
Constantinople
was named in her honor. A statue of her was placed within the
Byzantine Senate
.
Sainthood
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Aelia Flaccilla
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Feast
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September 14
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She is commemorated as a saint by the
Eastern Orthodox Church
, her feast day being 14 September.
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